Thursday, August 03, 2006
Dinner Time: A Perfect Time for Family Bonding
Early morning yesterday, I received a message on my cell phone from my husband requesting me to come home early. He said that he was asked by my sister to tell me that we’re going out and she’ll treat us for dinner tonight. So I said okay and I’ll try to be home before 7:30 p.m.
I did not want to miss this dinner time because now that most of us siblings have our own families, it is seldom that we’re all gathered together. In fact, my sister who’s now residing in U.S. with her own family just came home to the Philippines for her kids’ summer vacation. But since summer in the U.S. is almost over, they’ll be leaving this coming Friday by bus to Manila City and will be traveling by plane to U.S.A. next week just in time for the kids’ school opening. Oh, how fast precious time really flies by!
I used to look forward to dinner time when we were still kids because it’s the time when we are all gathered together and share stories. Dinner time is such a good family bonding time for us since it is the time when we get to share our life with each other. It’s the time when we get to tell our mom and dad about what happened in school, how we spent the day and what’s new in our life. It’s also the time that we get to open up to our parents about what’s bothering us for the moment, what problems we’re having in school or with our friends, what we’re happy about for the day, what new discoveries we had and so on and so forth. Actually, the list is endless because it’s only during dinner time that everybody in the family is around and no one is in a hurry to leave as it will be bed time soon.
Now fortunately, my day at the office was quite a breeze and so I was able to leave at exactly 5:00 p.m. When I arrived home, everyone was ready to leave already and it was just me they were waiting for. We all went together in our old reliable car and headed for the nearby Coco Leaf Restaurant, a restaurant that serves Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Filipino delicacies.
It was such a feast eating mixed Asian food. We had “sinigang na hipon” for our soup. Rice, being a staple food in our country, was served in three varieties: the classic plain rice, fried garlic rice and Yang Chow rice. As for the main dish, we had Lumpiang Shanghai, pancit Canton, Chop Suey, beef kare-kare, mixed sea foods, fish tofu, chicken lollipop, Bikol Express, and binagoongang adobo. For our refreshments, iced tea, Coke Light and mineral water was in order.
Since we had a room in the corner of the restaurant all to ourselves while eating dinner, it was like we’re just in our home in yesteryears where everybody, from kids to adults, had some fun sharing their stories for the day and updating each other of what’s the latest news in each family. My sister’s kids even provided us with some entertainment where they sang songs which they dedicated to their mother.
We finished eating dinner a bit early and with the kids wanting to eat some desserts, we then proceeded to Star Marks Café and Restaurant where their cakes are known for its being yummy and delicious. There, everyone ordered their favorite cakes and pastries like Rocky Road Chocolate cake, Chocolate Crinkle Cake, Tiramisu and Crema de Fruta.
I did not want to miss this dinner time because now that most of us siblings have our own families, it is seldom that we’re all gathered together. In fact, my sister who’s now residing in U.S. with her own family just came home to the Philippines for her kids’ summer vacation. But since summer in the U.S. is almost over, they’ll be leaving this coming Friday by bus to Manila City and will be traveling by plane to U.S.A. next week just in time for the kids’ school opening. Oh, how fast precious time really flies by!
I used to look forward to dinner time when we were still kids because it’s the time when we are all gathered together and share stories. Dinner time is such a good family bonding time for us since it is the time when we get to share our life with each other. It’s the time when we get to tell our mom and dad about what happened in school, how we spent the day and what’s new in our life. It’s also the time that we get to open up to our parents about what’s bothering us for the moment, what problems we’re having in school or with our friends, what we’re happy about for the day, what new discoveries we had and so on and so forth. Actually, the list is endless because it’s only during dinner time that everybody in the family is around and no one is in a hurry to leave as it will be bed time soon.
Now fortunately, my day at the office was quite a breeze and so I was able to leave at exactly 5:00 p.m. When I arrived home, everyone was ready to leave already and it was just me they were waiting for. We all went together in our old reliable car and headed for the nearby Coco Leaf Restaurant, a restaurant that serves Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Filipino delicacies.
It was such a feast eating mixed Asian food. We had “sinigang na hipon” for our soup. Rice, being a staple food in our country, was served in three varieties: the classic plain rice, fried garlic rice and Yang Chow rice. As for the main dish, we had Lumpiang Shanghai, pancit Canton, Chop Suey, beef kare-kare, mixed sea foods, fish tofu, chicken lollipop, Bikol Express, and binagoongang adobo. For our refreshments, iced tea, Coke Light and mineral water was in order.
Since we had a room in the corner of the restaurant all to ourselves while eating dinner, it was like we’re just in our home in yesteryears where everybody, from kids to adults, had some fun sharing their stories for the day and updating each other of what’s the latest news in each family. My sister’s kids even provided us with some entertainment where they sang songs which they dedicated to their mother.
We finished eating dinner a bit early and with the kids wanting to eat some desserts, we then proceeded to Star Marks Café and Restaurant where their cakes are known for its being yummy and delicious. There, everyone ordered their favorite cakes and pastries like Rocky Road Chocolate cake, Chocolate Crinkle Cake, Tiramisu and Crema de Fruta.
I really enjoyed the special treat we got from my sister and I guess it goes the same for the rest of the family. I will miss this family gathering for the next years until my sister and her kids will be back again for a much needed break from work and a much deserved vacation. I know my kids will also miss their cousins who became very close to them at such a short time.
Yes, no matter how short the time we spend together as one family, I believe if it is well spent together, then it is well worth our effort, energy and resources. In fact, quality family time can give us the greatest joy and happiness that can last a lifetime.
# posted by Rowena Campillos @ 5:27 AM 
